Filing cabinet



J. F. REIMER FILING CABINET Dec. 5, 1950.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4, 1946 INVENTOR JOHN F.REIMEF\ ATTORNEY S J.' F. REIMER FILING CABINET Dec. 5, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4, 1946 J- F. REIMER FILING CABINET Dec. 5, 1950 Filed Feb. 4, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 MN 7 R vw RE I E aJ N 2 3 F W NN I w w A 0 3 J patented Dec. 5 1950 FILING CABINET John F. Reimer, Manitowoc, Wis., assignor to Invincible Metal Furniture Company, Manitowoc, Wis.

Application February 4, 1946, Serial No. 645,283

2 Claims. 1.

My invention refers to multiple drawer filing cabinets for various records and it has for its primary object to provide a cabinet simple in construction and arranged to meet standard requirements with or without a universal drawer lock. All details are so constructed and arranged that it can be produced at a minimum cost, while at the same time it is durable and will not, under long usage, develop defects due to wear, whereby proper functioning is assured.

A specific object of my invention is to provide an oifset double flanged track-strip drawer support, which also serves as a casing reinforcement, the same embodying all essential features for cheap assemblage and serves as a support for floating drawer rails in conjunction with associated stopping lugs, whereby telescopic movement of the floating rails is limited.

Further objects of my invention are:

To provide floating drawer supporting rails having stopping lugs engageable with similar stopping lugs carried by the flanged track-strip, in conjunction with upper rollers and a series of anti-friction lower rollers, all engageable with offset flanged track-strips carried by the casing, whereby the telescopic floating rail element is rigidly maintained against sagging when a drawer is fully opened.

To provide a flanged vertically disposed U shaped 1ocking-bar housing at the front of the casing, which serves as a brace and lockingbar jacket, when it is desired to convert the cabinet into a universal lock means for all drawers, the housing being provided with permanent flns for engagement with spring controlled, manually actuated, bolt latches, carried by each drawer for releasing the same.

To provide a universal locking-bar which may readily be inserted into the U shaped housing when the cabinet is to be used with a universal drawer locking means, the said bar having stop wings extending through openings in the housing for locking all drawers, by engagement with the spring controlled bolt latches, the same being carried by each drawer, whereby they are all securely locked irrespective of any release movement of the spring controlled bolt latches.

To provide a weakened knock-out plate, at the front upper face of the cabinet, in alignment with the U shaped housing, for the insertion therein of a key receiving locking barrel, forming part of a spring controlled stem slideably mounted in a bracket unit, which bracket unit also contains a spring controlled pivoted lever, adapted to be coupled to the end of the universal locking-bar, whereby the same is reciprocated within its housing to simultaneously lock or release all drawers by key-actuated means associated with a locking barrel.

To provide a single anchoring screw for the locking barrel bracket unit, whereby the same may readily be positioned and permanently secured within the cabinet casing.

To provide pairs of adjustable follower compression supporting arms for each drawer compressor, siideably mounted upon stamped rackbars, the said rack-bars being readily assembled by sliding the same upon the edges of a flanged wing-strip. The rack-bars, when placed in position, are inserted through a mouth of the drawer back wall and thereafter they are secured by a tooth of the drawer back wall in the line of travel of lips carried by said rack-bars, whereby they are permanently anchored.

To provide inside clearance of the drawer sur-- face by offset channels formed in the side walls of the drawers for slideably receiving the stamped rack-bars, the same having beaded edges engaging the flanges of the wing-strip.

To provide a pair of feet extending from the compression panel, having grooved edges slideably engaging the beaded edges of the rack-bars, whereby the panel is adjusted.

To provide a pair of spring controlled plungers carried by each panel, for selectively locking the panel in a predetermined position relative to the length of the drawer.

To provide an inverted V shaped plate, carried by each panel and engageable with the spring controlled plungers, whereby, upon depression of the plate, the plungers are retracted from looking connection with the teeth of the rack-bars.

To provide a manually actuated spring controlled slideable latch bolt mounted upon the front wall of the drawer for engagement with the ofiset fins of the U shaped locking-bar housing, whereby the drawers are individually fastened or released when the cabinet is not equipped with a universal locking-bar.

To provide each flanged track-strip with an upper interrupted flange at its rear end. portion, spaced backwardly of its stop lug, whereby the floating rails may be angularly positioned and inserted under the interrupted flange and thereafter dropped downwardly to their .proper horizontal seat within the channel strips, whereby the stop lugs of the floating rails will. assume their proper aligned position relative to the companion stop lugs of the channel strips.

Wit th above and other objects in view,

which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed ac-. cording to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary face View of a cabinet and slideable drawer therein, with parts broken away and in section to illustrate theslideT able locking-bolt for the drawer and floating rails together with the universal locking-bar and as.- sociated parts.

Fig 2 is va fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the cabinet particularly illustrating the universal drawer locking means, the section being indicated by line 2?.2 of Fig, 1.

Fig. .3 is a magnified detail sectional elevation illustrating the bracket carried key controlled lock and release mechanismfor raising andlowerthe universal ,loclgingebar, the section being indicated by line 3T3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. l is a plan sectional view of the same, the section being indicated by line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross section .of the looking .m'eohae nism, the section being indicated byline 5,-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is another cross section-of the same, the section being upon a plane indicated by line S e-.6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is another fragmentary cross section of the locking mechanism upon a plane, indicated by line 5- of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view of the manually actuate-cl reciprocative bolt mounted in the front wall of the drawer, particularly illustrating the lock and release fin and stop-Ming associated with the reciprocative locking-bar, the section being indicated by line 8-8 of Fig. 1

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary face view of the upper front corner of the cabinet illustrating in dotted lines the knock-out plate, which plate is removed when the universal lock and release mechanism is to be assembled in the structure,

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper portion of the cabinet anda drawer extended in its f -ull open position from the open front of said cabinet, the section being indicated upon line iii-.40 of Fig. 1.

Figjll is a detail fragmentary side elevation particularly illustrating one of the flanged channeiestrips and its stop lug, with the floating rail removed, which channel-strip is secured to the side wall of a cabinet, the same, being partly in section as indicated by line UT. of Fig, 1 3.

Fig. 12. is a detail plan sectional view .of, a D01. tion of the channel-strip, the, sectionv eing indi". cated by line i2|2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a cross section of the channel-strip and floating rail, the section being mdicatec byline liti 3 of Fig. .10.

Fig. 13a is a detail fragmentary face view of the same.

Fig, i-i is a plan sectional view of the channelstrip and floating rail, particularly illustrating the stop lugs, said section being indicated by line l'i l of Fig. .10..

1 5 is a detail plan sectional view particularly illustrating the aligned stop-knuckles carried by the drawer and floating rail, the section being indicated by line l5-l5 of Fig. 10.

Fig, 16 is a cross-section of the drawer, the section being indicated by line l6l6 of Fig. 10 and particularly illustrating the lock and release plungers carried by the follower panel, whereby said panel is adjusted by a manual operation.

Fig. 1'7 is a fragmentary plan sectional view of the same, the section being indicated by line ?l'l ll of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the panel plungers actuating mechanism, the section being indicated by line l8l8 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 19 is a detail sectional plan view of one of the rear corners of the drawer and rack-bar assemblage, particularly illustrating the lock mechanism for the rack-bar after its insertion through the drawer mouth, the section being indicated by line [SJ-l9 of Fig. 10; and

.20 is a sectional plan view of the front cornerof the drawer, the section being indicated by line 29-211 of Fig. 10.

Referring lay-characters to the drawings, l ins dicates the rear wall of .a filing cabinet and I the side walls of the same, the said cabinet having an upwardly flanged opening l" for a slideable drawer A thobottqm of the drawer opening being formed by a partition strip .2.

Spot welded, or otherwise secured, to the side walls -I of the cabinet is a pair of rail strips 3 having a bottom U shaped flange 3 extending throughout its length and an upper similar flange 3", the same being terminated at a point rearwardly of the front end of said rail strip.

The rail strip has secured thereto a stop lug positioned slightly in advance-of the fragmentary U shaped flange .3", it being understood that the forward end of the rail strip, at its bottom portion, is lapped over and secured to the partition strip 'Slideablymounted in each rail strip 3 is a floating 5 having inturned upper and lower flanges 5,.5, respectively. The rail has pivoted therein, at its lower portion, a plurality of antie friQti n rollers 5.B, which rollers travel upon the bottom face of the lower flangev 3. The upper flange portion 5' of the floating rail has pivoted therein anti-friction roller], which roller rides upon the face of the fragmentary flange 3", whereby the floatin rail is held rigidly in .its verticalposition when said rail is fully extended.

Theside walls 230f the drawer A have extended theretroxn flange strips 8&, whichstrips support the drawer upon the last two sellers .6 when the drawer-is extended, and the rear roller .6 also supports the drawer when it is nested within the cab net. indicated in Fig. 110, when thedrawer is fully extended, a knuckle 6 engages a corresponding knuckle 5,", whereby the drawer is st pped.

It. will also behoted that the pair -of rails 5, as

best. shown in Fig. 14, have, secured to. the walls thereof. stop lu i. whi h op s. havin bumpers at. their ends, engage each other when the floating :railsv have reached their extreme extended position, as; ndicated in Fig. 1 0 of the d in s.

From the foregoing description, it will be noted, due to. the iact that the, upper flange 3" of the rail strip, is stepped off a considerable distance from the front ofsaid rail strip, that the floating rails may conveniently be inserted into position, with reference to said rail strip, byslightly inclining theouter ends of said rails upwardly,-whereby their inner ends will readily enter between the flanges 3" of the rail strips and thereafter, when said rails are dropped to their horizontal position of rest, their stop lugs 4' will be positioned rearwardly of the rail-strip stop lugs 4, whereby these associated elements are interlocked.

Secured to the front corners of the casing walls, adjacent to the mouth of each drawer opening, are a pair of U shaped flanged housings 9-9', which housings serve as reinforcing members for stiffening the corners of the casing.

When it is desired to equip a cabinet with a universal locking mechanism, the flanged housing 9 is utilized for inserting therein a locking-bar it for all drawers, as best indicated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive and Fig. 8. The said bar It is readily inserted into the housing through an opening in the bottom of the cabinet (not shown). The locking-bar It carries a stop-wing I for each drawer, the same being extended through slots in the housing 9' and positioned at points approximately midway of the height of each drawer side.

Each stop-wing projects outwardly, directly above a wedge-shaped fin l I upset from the housing 9'. As best indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, the fin Ii normally engages an offset lip I2 of a reciprocative bolt l2, which bolt is carried by the front wall of the drawer and is held in its locked position, relative to the fin, by a coil spring I3. Hence, the above noted locking position of the bolt will function when the drawer is not equipped with a universal locking-bar Iii. To free the bolt of each drawer from its locking fin I I, as indicated in dotted lines, the latch bolt, which carries a reciprocative button It" extending from the front wall of the drawer, is moved from left to right. Thus it will be seen that, under the above noted conditions, each drawer has an individual lock, or fastener.

In order to neutralize the locking bolt, when the cabinet is equipped with a universal locking bar, the same is effected as follows: When it is desired to lock all drawers, the universal lockingbar it is moved downwardly by the key actuated mechanism, to be hereinafter described, as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. In this position each locking-bar stop-wing III, as indicated in dotted lines of Fig. 2, is brought into engagement with the lip ii of the latch bolt.

Hence, owing to the fact that the stop-wing is of a width sufficient to overlap the bolt lip I2, the locking connection between the drawer and locking bolt will be maintained. This locking connection is effected, even though the bolt is drawn from left to right, as indicated in dotted lines of Fig. 8. When so drawn, the lip of the bolt, even though moved to its full limit, cannot be disengaged from the stop-wing I0.

To release all drawers from the universal lock, the locking-bar as is moved upwardly, as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, whereby the bolt lip is cleared from the stop-wing I0 and thereafter all bolts I2 may be individually actuated to release their associated drawers.

It is apparent when a universal lock is to be added to the assemblage, the knock-out plate, shown in Fig. 9 previously mentioned, is removed. A key controlled barrel I4, which is slideably mounted in a bracket I5, is inserted through the knock-out aperture, the same being extended beyond the front wall of the cabinet, whereby access is had thereto by a key, as indicated in dotted lines of Fig. 3.

The barrel It has connected thereto a stem I6 having a tail piece It which is slideable in an 6 opening in the bracket. Interposed between this bracket portion and stem is a coil spring H, the same exerting pressure upon the barrel to maintain the same in an extended outward position, as indicated in dotted lines of Fig. 3.

When the bracket I5, containing the locking unit, is fitted to the top and front wall corner of the casing, the said bracket is confined by a single screw It, in conjunction with the barrel support at the front end. Hence, this is all that is required to confine the assembled key unit.

Pivotally mounted in the bracket I is a. lever E9, the end of which lever is connected by a pivot stud i 9' to the end of the locking bar Iii. A stud 29, which extends from the stem I6, engages an angular slot 2! formed in the lever I9. A spring I9 connects the locking-bar II] and lip of the bracket I5 to hold the bar in its unlocked position.

From the foregoing description it is apparent, when all drawers are locked, the barrel I4 is in the position indicated in full lines of Fig. 3. In said position the locking-bar is moved downwardly by the lever it due to the engagement of the stud 253 with the lever slot 2|.

When this inward movement of the barrel and associated parts is effected, a key controlled latch 22 enters a slot 22' in the bracket, whereby the assemblage is held in the position shown in Fig. 3. To release the lock it is only necessary to insert the key in the barrel, whereby the latch 22 is withdrawn from the bracket slot, when the key is turned.

As best illustrated in Fig. 10 and Figs. 16 to 20 inclusive, the side walls 23 of the drawer A are formed with offset longitudinal channels 23' for the reception of a double flanged wing-strip 24, which is brazed or otherwise secured to the base wall of each channel 23'.

As best shown in Figs. 10 and 19, the rear wall 23" of the drawer is provided with corner openings 25, through which are inserted a pair of toothed rack-bars 2B, which rack-bars are formed with open edge beads 26 that engage the edges of the double flanged wing-strip 24. When each rack-bar is completely inserted throughout the length of the drawer, it is locked by depressing a, flange 21 at the opening in the rear drawer wall, to form a tooth 28, which tooth engages an outwardly extended. burr 29 of the rack-bar, whereby said rack-bar is secured in its proper position.

Each rack-bar 26 is provided for adjustably locking a compression drawer panel 30. The drawer panel carries a pair of feet 3| extending in alignment with the rack-bars and said feet have crowned edges 3|, which edges are in slideable engagement with the beaded edges 26 of the rack-bar. Hence, the panel is guided back and forth within the drawer by said feet.

The compression panel 36 is adjusted lengthwise of the drawer and locked in its adjusted position by a pair of reciprocative spring controlled plungers 32, which plungers are connected to the panels by means of guide slots 32 having extended therethrough pairs of shank buttons 33.

The plungers are further guided, at their inner ends, by offset straps 34 of a plate 34' secured to the panel. The ends of the plungers are folded over to form angular surfaces 35, which surfaces are engaged by the inverted V shaped ends 36 forming part of a reciprocative plate 31. The plate 31 is confined and guided in runways 3,7, which runways form part .of the bed plate 314';

The :plungers have interposed between their angular ends a coil spring 38, which coil spring is also confined in an ofiset .of the bed plate .34. It will be noted that the upper end of the inverted V shaped plate projects above the panel and is iolded over and extended downwardly for guiding and reinforcement. From the foregoing description, in the openation, whereby the panel is moved back and forth in the drawer, the operator depresses the projecting end of the inverted V shaped plate 31, whereby the V edges of the plate extensions 36 will engage the angular surfaces '35 of the plunger-s and thus contract the same in opposition to their spring pressure, whereby the plungers are withdrawn from interlocked engagement with the rack-bars '26, and thereafter the panel is moved forward to compress the records between said panel and the front wall of the drawer. Obviously, to loosen or release the records, the panel will be moved backwardly.

I claim:

1. In a filing cabinet embodying side and 'front walls provided with drawer openings for the reeeption of slidea'ble drawers and a universal looking rnea-ns for-all drawers; comprising a U shaped vertically positioned housing secured to a front corner of the cabinet adjacent to the drawer openings having slots therein opposite one side Wall of each drawer, a locking bar slideably mounted in the housing, wings extending from the locking bar through the housing slots, wedge shaped fins extending from the housing adjacent the wings, individual latch bolts mounted upon the front wall of each drawer engageable with the wings and fins, a lock and release means for raising and flowering the locking bar, the same including a spring ,oontrolled stem having akellactuated barrel connected thereto and extending side Wall of said cabinet, a spring controlled lever pivoted to the bracket having a :slot therein, a stud extending from the stem engaging the lever slot, and .a pivot connection between said lever and :locking vbar :end.

T2. Ina filing cabinet embodying side walls and a front wall provided with drawer openings for the reception of slideable drawers and .a universal locking means for the drawers; the same comprising a U shaped vertically positioned housing secured to the front. corner of the cabinetv .adjacent the drawer openings having slots therein opposite one side wall of each drawer, a lockingbar slide-lily mounted in the housing, wings exending irem the. locking-b ar through, the housing slots, wedge shaped "fins extending from the housing below the wings, individual spring controlled latch bolts. mounted upon the front of each drawer engageable with the wings and fins and in, the path of travel of said wings, arlever pivotally mounted at, its inner end on the cab-- inet in ear of the, locking-bar having an ob,- liquely posed slot therein, said lever being pivotal ry connected adjacent to its forward end to the looking-bar for raising and lowering the locking-dear upon swinging movement of the lever, and :a key actuated spring controlled tem s da ly s ppo ed y e fr n of he cabinet movable ever the lever having .a pin engaging the lever slot for swinging said lever on piv wher by t e o n -bar is rais d or Lowered tol'lo k r .releaseall drawers.

JOH F. RE ME REFERENCES CITED The "followingreferences are of record in the file aQf this patent:

Number Name Date Re.\22,23;4 West Dec. 15., 1-942 1933,2741 Millice Sept. 16, 1913 .l,906,,83:2 Bales -et a1. May 2, 1933 2,182,594 siegel Dec. 5, 1939 2,2433% Houston et a1. June 3, 1941 2,273,151 Siege] Feb. 17, 1942 

